Alpha's Word Is Law
by FireOkami-Kitsune
Summary: A young Houndour, born to a teen with a troubled and angry past. His new master’s wish? To make all who wronged him burn, and to rise to power. And with this loyal Houndour at his side… Almost anything is possible. Rated for blood and language.
1. My Father, My Master, My Alpha

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor do I have any connections to it. It would be nice if I did though… _

**Chapter 1: **

**My Father. My Master. My Alpha.**

There is no way for me to determine when I first became aware. The first thing I knew was warmth, and the sense of absolute safety. I did not know the words for such feelings, only the feeling itself. Words came soon enough though, granting me true consciousness, and an identity along with it.

As time passed, a sense of tightness made itself known. Compared to my former state of almost complete freedom of movement, this was nearly intolerable. But something, instinct perhaps, warned me not to depart from my safe haven just yet, despite the prison it was fast becoming.

And so I waited. And waited. For what, I did not know. My already limited movement grew ever more restricted. But I endured, until that same intangible something that had ordered me to wait told me it was time to escape my prison. I obeyed with some hesitation, realizing now that there would be no turning back once I left the warmth and safety. But enduring this prison when there was another option was out of the question.

I reached out with one limb and nudged against the barrier blocking me from freedom. My cramped prison lurched drastically, despite the gentleness of the force I had exerted. Curious, I pushed harder. This time, I broke through, much to my surprise. Cold air rushed in, and I retreated from the unwelcome sensation. I knew instantly I was not meant for the cold, it was my opposite. My enemy.

"C'mon! Keep going!" A male voice urged me. "There's no way in hell you're giving up now!" The voice was commanding, and seemed to hold no doubt that I would obey.

And so I did. I pushed again, and again. The hole grew wider, and with one last shove, I was free. I tumbled out into the frigid air with a whimper, my limbs in a tangle. Within seconds I was being cleaned off roughly and wrapped in something soft and warm.

" 'Bout time, ya silly Houndour." The powerful male voice spoke again. "I've been waiting for you to hatch for months." I opened my eyes for the first time, squinting at the bright light. I peered up at the owner of the male voice, blinking rapidly in an attempt to clear my vision. My instinct told me this was important. The voce was male, which made it my Father, not my Mother. The voice was commanding, which made it my Master. And, most important of all, the voice held power, and held no doubt of my obedience. This was my Alpha, then, leader of the Pack. This was the one I must obey without fail, to guard from enemies and to further his goals, whatever they may be. My vision cleared, and I got the first look at the Alpha.

He was watching me intently with onyx-black eyes, the same color as his spiky hair. His face was thin, almost gaunt, as if he didn't eat enough. He was wearing all black, cargo pants and shirt. One ear had a blood-red stud earring. Around his neck was a silver pendant of what looked like a flame. The way the silver was shaped made it look like the flame was flickering as it shifted with the movement of the Alpha's breathing.

"You hungry, Houndour?" Alpha asked. "I can't have you starving to death, you're going to make me powerful." A sharp pain in my stomach made itself known to me, almost seeming to have been awoken by Alpha's words. Through it, I wondered why my Alpha wanted power. For whatever reason, I would do my best to help. I would do my duty.

"Here, eat this." Something was shoved into my mouth. I began to suckle automatically, flooding my mouth with a rich, creamy liquid. When it was gone, the bottle was removed. "You still hungry Houndour?" I shook my head, surprising the Alpha. "What? You can understand me already?" I nodded.

"Yes, Alpha." I barked. However, it came out as: "Dour! Houn!" Alpha bared his teeth in a pleased, savage grin.

"Cool. I thought it would be awhile before I could use this." He held up a silver collar with a small mechanical box on it. "This is a translator collar. I stole it for you." He laughed. "Stole you, to. Stupid kid wouldn't have known your worth anyway. He probably would have dragged you around like some common pet." I snarled indignantly, picking up on my master's scorn. I was a Pokemon built for battling, not as a pet! My rightful anger was distracted when Alpha snapped the stolen collar around my neck and unwrapped the towels surrounding me. The cold was not as painful this time. I was growing stronger, it seemed.

"Well, say something already." Alpha prompted. "If you're going to be my companion, we're going to need to get to know each other." I shifted in place nervously and sat up, already in control of my body.

"What would you have me say, Alpha?" I asked respectfully. The voice the translator gave me was deep, surprising me. "And why is my voice so deep?" Alpha smiled and reached out with one hand. I tensed, but he just stroked my head gently, making me growl low in my throat with pleasure.

"For the deep voice, I have no clue how those things work. And to be honest, I don't care." He began scratching behind my ears, making me croon in delight. "Anyway, why are you calling me Alpha?"

"You are the leader of the pack, the Alpha." I replied, stating what I believed to be obvious. "A younger and weaker member does not call the Alpha by name."

"I like the sound of that." Alpha commented thoughtfully. "Alpha, the Pokemon League Champion! Yeah, that is definitely going on my Trainer's License. I'm sixteen now, that should be old enough to change my name legally as well…" I blinked, bewildered. Alpha was a title, not a name. But. If that was what he wanted, I had no problem with it.

"As you wish Alpha." I paused nervously. "Alpha, what is my name to be?" Alpha considered it for a moment.

"How 'bout Beta? That's the position right below Alpha, right?" I swelled with pride. My Alpha wished for _me_ to be the Pack's Beta!

"I would be honored, Alpha." I replied, sitting up straighter. My ears twitched as I heard something. My well-developed ears honed in on the sound, identifying it. Footsteps. "Alpha, someone is coming." Alpha scowled and picked me up, turning to face the door just as it opened. There standing in the doorway was an angry, tired-looking woman.

"What's with all the racket?" She demanded. "Some people are trying to sleep, you know!" I growled quietly, not liking the way she was speaking to my Alpha. Could she not see that my master was far above her in status? She had no right to speak to him in such a tone.

"My Pokemon egg just hatched." Alpha replied stiffly. "My apologies, Mother." This woman was Alpha's mother?! I stared at her, wondering how a weak-looking woman like this could be Alpha's mother. Said woman met my eyes and sneered. I bared my teeth at her, daring her to approach me. My Alpha did not like her, which meant I did not like her. Finally the woman spoke again.

"This means your leaving, right?" Alpha nodded, eyes narrowed. "Good. And don't come back." My eyes widened. Young as I was, I knew parents were supposed to care for their young. That was the way it worked, for Pokemon at least. But as I have grown, I have come to realize that humans break all the rules of Nature, despite the fact that their lives would be better if they simply obeyed.

"I wasn't planning on it. Just don't come whining to me for money when I win the Johto League." Alpha's mother sneered at both of us now.

"With that mongrel? Good luck with that, you brat." With those final words, the blonde woman left.

"Beta, we're leaving tomorrow." Alpha placed me on the ground and sat down about five feet away from me. "So start walking." I took a cautious step forward, sliding one black paw along the floor.

"Sir, what is the Johto League?" I asked, continuing to move forward unsteadily.

"It's a competition between Pokemon trainers. To participate, we have to collect eight Badges from Pokemon Gyms." I crept a bit closer.

"Why do you wish to win, Sir?" Alpha scowled.

"To show all those idiots that I'm better than them." He smirked. "You know, the only humans that have done anything good for me was Team Rocket, the biggest known criminal organization. They attacked the Pokemon Center here in Cherrygrove. I took advantage of the chaos, snuck in and stole your egg while it was there being checked by Nurse Joy." I tumbled into his lap, triumphant just as he finished speaking. He scratched behind my ears in reward, making me rumble in pleasure.

"So this Team Rocket is powerful?" I questioned. Alpha considered it.

"Some are. Their power lies mainly in numbers. There are hundreds of low-level Grunts." He sighed. "The higher-ups, though… Damn, they're strong. Someday, I'm going to be as strong as them, and then all those idiots who made fun of me…" He left the threat unfinished.

"I will do my best to make sure that day comes soon, Alpha." I said firmly. "I will do my duty." Alpha smiled, a real smile instead of a smirk this time.

"Thanks, Beta. But don't forget, we're a pack. We work together." He chuckled. "We're a pack that fights for themselves, and only ourselves."

"And no one will stand in the Alpha's path, or they will suffer our wrath." I snarled. "You shall do whatever you wish."

And so the Pack began.

**End Chapter 1**

A.N.- I hope you enjoyed it. If you like and have the time, review. I accept anonymous reviews, so those without an account are welcome. If you see any mistakes, be sure to tell me so I can fix them. -Okami


	2. Kind Equals Stupid?

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, not that anyone actually thought I did…

**Chapter 2:**

**Kind Equals… Stupid?**

We left to get Alpha's 'trainer license' the next morning. He said we had to get it, even though plenty of trainers didn't bother. Something about being less likely to get in trouble if (or when, as he put it) he stole something.

"Ready to go Beta?" Alpha asked, his face expressionless. He showed no affection, but he had warned me about that. He had said we could show no weakness to those who were not Pack. It made sense to me.

"Yes Sir. How long will the journey be?"

"Only around two hours if we keep up a good pace." He replied, shifting his backpack to a more comfortable position. "Now let's go." I followed Alpha out of the town, staying just behind him and to the right. That was the Beta's place. My place.

"Where are we headed after getting your license?" I questioned.

"We'll have to pass back through Cherrygrove on our way to a place called Violet City." He stopped and pulled some kind of mechanical device out of his pocket. He bent down to my level, pushed a few buttons, and showed me the screen. On it was some kind of map. "This is a Pokegear. The map is of the Johto region. Here's Violet City." He touched the screen at a certain spot, and it zoomed in. I examined it, not very interested. Just some human town. The only human that mattered in my mind was Alpha. I couldn't care less about the others so long as they didn't bother Alpha.

"Is one of those Gyms there?" Alpha stood up and continued walking.

"Yeah, which means we're going to need to train before we get there. I don't feel like challenging some stuck-up Gym Leader more than once."

We walked in silence for quite awhile. I kept a close watch on our surroundings. My nose and ears twitched, my eyes darted from place to place, alert for any possible danger. There were other Pokemon everywhere, but nothing to worry about. Just Pidgey, Rattata, and Sentret. After about an hour, my stomach began to rumble. I glanced at Alpha nervously.

"Alpha?"

"Yeah?"

"Could we, um, take a break? I'm hungry." Alpha nodded and stopped.

"That's fine, we're about halfway there already." He looked around, shrugged, then sat down in the middle of the dusty dirt road. He pulled off his backpack and began rummaging through it. After a moment, he took out a bottle and pulled me into his lap. I began sucking down the creamy liquid as he stroked my back gently. "There you go Beta. Hey, I wonder if I could get Professor Elm to give me another Pokemon." He mused. He thought about it, then an evil grin came to his face. "Beta, do you think you can act like a crazy, hyperactive puppy?" I eyed him warily.

"I… think so, if I had to." I replied, finishing off the last of the milk. "Why, Sir?"

"We're going to act like some air-head Trainer and his Pokemon." Alpha sneered. "Shouldn't be hard, and one of the Johto starter Pokemon might be useful. I'd be a better Trainer for it than one of those twelve year old idiots anyway."

"Of course, Alpha." I agreed. "So, you wish for me to act excitable?" Alpha nodded, making me sigh. "Yes Sir, I will do my best." This wasn't going to be fun, not at all. But I would do as my Alpha wished.

"Good. Now let's keep moving. I want to get some training in before the day is done."

***

New Bark Town was even smaller than Cherrygrove. There were only a few houses, and it's main feature was what Alpha said was the Pokemon Lab. That was our destination, and we were standing just outside the door.

"Ready Beta?" Alpha asked. I nodded, and Alpha raised his hand and knocked on the wooden door loudly. Within seconds, a guy wearing a white lab coat and huge glasses pulled open the door.

"Let me guess, you're here for your license?" He sighed. Not waiting for an answer, he waved us in. "Come on in, the Professor's ready and waiting." I stifled a disgusted snort. This man was an idiot. Who would be stupid enough to let some stranger into their den?

"Wow, thanks! I've been waiting for this for years!" Alpha gushed. I stared at him, bewildered. "Hey, do you think the Professor would let me see the starters? I have Houndour here, but the Johto starters are so much cooler!" I was almost offended. My Alpha was a very convincing actor it seemed. The glasses-man smiled.

"Of course, knowing him he'll even give you one if you want. He's a very kind man." I frowned contemplatively, but quickly masked it with the goofiest grin I could muster (Which, I must admit, wasn't really all that goofy). It seemed kind was the equivalent of stupid. I decided I wouldn't be kind, not unless ordered to by Alpha.

"Wow, that would be awesome!" Alpha exclaimed. "That would mean Beta could have a friend!" Yes, my Alpha was a very good actor. We stopped outside another wooden door, which glasses-man knocked on.

"Come in!" A male voice called. Glasses-man pulled open the door and Alpha bounced in, smiling in an over-excited way. I followed, my semi-goofy grin plastered to my face. I felt like a complete idiot, and I briefly wished Alpha wasn't forcing me to do this. I shook off the thought. Alpha was my Master, which meant his word was law. I was to do what he wished in order to fulfill his goals. That was my purpose in the Pack unless Alpha wished otherwise. Having reassured myself, I returned my attention to Alpha, only to find I had missed out on the conversation with the Professor.

"-out, Totodile!" There was a flash of red light, startling me. What had I missed? The red light formed into the shape of a blue Pokemon. It looked depressed, gazing at us all mournfully. I looked at it, wondering why it was so miserable looking. I began to wag my stubby tail, trying to act like a 'crazy, hyperactive puppy'. Sadly, I wasn't as good an actor as my Alpha.

"Hey Totodile!" Alpha greeted the blue Pokemon loudly, going down on one knee. "Houndour, come say hello!"

"Oh, a Houndour!" I glanced in the direction of the voice to see who I guessed was Professor Elm. "How rare, you're very lucky, um… What was your name again young man?"

"My name's Alpha! Yeah, Houndour is pretty awesome." If it was anyone but Alpha, I would say that that loud voice hurt my ears. Instead I walked up to the Totodile and grinned.

"Hello! Nice to meet you!"

"Oh, a translator! You must have saved up for a very long time to get that." Elm commented.

"Yes, sir. It was worth it though!" The Totodile heaved a sigh.

"How is anything worth it? We're all going to die anyway." I blinked. Yep, he was depressed all right.

"Um… I suppose so." I replied, confused. "But we might as well enjoy it while it lasts!" I realized Alpha was talking again, but I was busy trying to understand this odd Pokemon.

"Why bother? All we can do is plod through life, miserable. Then, after all that pointless misery, we die." The pessimist sulked. "I see no point to it." My tail stopped wagging, and my grin faded.

"There's always a point! You serve the leader of your pack! That is what we are here for, you depressed crocodile!" I whispered harshly. I must admit, he annoyed me. Did he not realize that he needed to serve a Pack? Before I could continue, the red light from earlier returned, and the Totodile disappeared.

"Houndour, it's time to go! The Professor's busy, and I'm ready to start my journey!" I looked up to see him putting a red and white ball in his pocket, alongside a flat red machine thing. "Come on!" Alpha ran out of the lab with me at his heels.

"Good luck!" The kind-but-stupid man called. "Take good care of Totodile!" I rolled my eyes. That man truly was stupid.

End Chapter 2

_A.N.- Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, I really appreciate it. Perhaps you would like to review again? -Okami_


	3. First Kill and Naming

_Disclaimer: I don't own it, but if I did, you would be watching Beta on the TV. That would be amazing…_

**Chapter 3:**

**First Kill And Naming**

Alpha began to laugh as soon as we had made it past the city limits.

"That was so easy!" He chuckled. I grinned at him. "Honestly, what kind of idiot gives a Pokemon to some random teenager?"

"You are a very good actor, sir." I complimented, my stubby tail wagging. "However, those humans were truly stupid."

"Most people are stupid nowadays. They all think the world is perfect." Alpha sneered. "Guess we'll just have to show them how wrong they are." I looked up at him eagerly. His plans meant fighting, which in turn meant I would be able to prove myself to him.

"How will we do that, sir?" I asked. Alpha continued walking, and I sped up to keep up with him.

"We train and make a reputation for ruthlessness and power." He explained, a savage glint in his eye. "We can even pick up a few jobs Goldenrod. The Underground is Johto's biggest black market, so there're always opportunities for people like me. Sooner or later, Team Rocket will come with an offer of recruitment. They always contact the strongest Trainers. I've even heard rumors that some of the Champions have gotten offers, but they always refuse." I frowned.

"Why? Do they not realize that they will be safer in such a large pack?" I questioned, confused. Alpha chuckled, kicking a rock on the road. It went flying off into the grass, and I had to suppress the urge to chase it. I doubted Alpha would be amused.

"Humans don't usually think in terms of a pack like you seem to." He glanced down at me and smirked. "Not very smart. Safety in numbers, after all. Me, I'm making a pack of my own. When the time comes, we'll join Team Rocket and rise to the very top. The leader himself will recognize our worth!" I thought I saw a crazed gleam in his eye, making me uneasy. But it was gone before I could be sure.

"I will put all my strength into training then." I declared firmly. Then I remembered something. "How will that depressed Totodile fit into your plans, Alpha?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Depressed?" I pinned my ears back and nodded. "Well, I'll train him of course." He smiled slightly. "You're more important though. You are my Beta after all. My second-in-command." I swelled with pride and pushed out my chest, almost strutting.

"When do we begin training Sir?" I asked eagerly. Alpha stopped abruptly and looked around. Confused, I mimicked him. It wasn't very interesting. On either side of the dusty road we were on was tall grass that reached to Alpha's knees, which meant it would cover me. The only thing breaking the monotony was the occasional tree.

"Do you smell any Pokemon nearby?" Alpha questioned, pulling out the red machine thing I had seen earlier from his pocket. I raised my nose to the air and inhaled, sorting through the various scents with the ease of one born to track. Alpha's scent was identified and put aside for now, along with the trees and the grass. Then came the Pokemon, Pidgey and Rattata mostly, with an occasional Hoothoot in a tree, most likely asleep. Not a very wide variety, but it would do for now.

"Yes, Alpha. There are wild Pidgey and Rattata everywhere." I informed him. "The stupid things have not even bothered moving away from us." Alpha smirked and pointed the red machine at me. It beeped, then began to speak in a mechanical voice.

"Houndour, the Dark Dog Pokemon. This Pokemon works in a pack to cleverly take down prey. It is known for it's great loyalty to those it deems worthy." When it stopped, Alpha pressed a button. It continued. "This Houndour is Level 5. Ability: Flash Fire. Moves Known: Ember, Tackle, Howl, Thunder Fang, and Shadow Walk." My ears perked at those last two. I wasn't sure what Shadow Walk was, but Thunder Fang I knew. Alpha frowned.

"Thunder Fang? That's odd, I didn't know Houndour could learn that…" He pressed another button.

"Some Pokemon can learn various moves only through careful breeding." The mechanical voice informed us. "Thunder Fang and Shadow Walk are examples of this." I smiled. This would give me an advantage over Water types.

"Looks like that kid's parents had money, to be able to get a well-bred Pokemon like you." Alpha complimented. His voice turned possessive. "But you're mine now."

"Yes Sir." I replied, wagging my tail. Alpha's mouth twitched as he hid a smile. He ran a hand through his black hair absentmindedly.

"Jeez, and I had been worried about getting some goody two-shoes Pokemon." Alpha snickered. "So much for that idea." I looked up at him seriously.

"You are my Alpha." I reminded him. "Alpha's word is law in the Pack." I think it truly hit him then. He realized I would do anything he asked, no questions asked. I could tell by the way his black eyes widened ever so slightly before he settled his face into an emotionless mask.

"Let's go find some Pokemon to train against." He ordered. "Don't track, we'll do this the old-fashioned way. Just wander around." I understood why he was asking me to do this. He needed time to digest what I had told him.

"Yes Sir." I replied, bowing my head respectfully. I strode into the grass randomly, Alpha close behind. Obeying his command, I wandered aimlessly, changing directions at a whim. I knew we wouldn't get lost. If all else failed, I could use our scent to follow the same path back.

My thoughts were broken by the sound of fluttering not far ahead of us. I froze in place, a low growl rumbling in my chest.

"Pidgey." I informed Alpha quietly, trying not to let the bird hear me. My ears twitched, determining the distance. "About ten feet ahead."

"Sneak up on it and use Thunder Fang." Alpha whispered. "Pidgey are small, so it's almost guaranteed to paralyze it if you get a direct hit. After that, wait for me." I nodded and stalked away through the grass on silent paws. I circled around my prey, spiraling in gradually.

I caught my first look at my intended prey. I sneered. The stupid creature hadn't even noticed me, and was pecking away at the ground. I crept closer, feeling electricity gathering around my teeth in preparation for Thunder Fang. I froze in place when the Pidgey looked up suddenly. It cocked it's head curiously, looked around, then returned to it's mindless pecking. I shook my head slightly in disgust. You _never_ ignore your instincts. That's how you get killed.

I crouched, getting ready to pounce. This was almost too easy. I hoped it wouldn't always be this boring. I took a deep breath, then leapt, my jaws stretched wide.

The stupid Pidgey turned its head right as my lightning-coated fangs made contact with its spine. Its entire body went rigid, then it fell with its wings spread on the ground. I bared my teeth in triumph when I saw the static crackling over the bird's feathers. It was paralyzed. I placed one paw on its back to hold it down in case it managed to throw off the paralysis.

"Alpha!" I called. "It is paralyzed." I winced at the amount of noise Alpha made as he approached me. It seemed Alpha would not make the best of hunters.

"Good job Beta." Alpha complimented me. He looked at the Pokemon trapped under my paw speculatively. "Think it's worth catching?" I looked down at my prey, considering his question. Then I shook my head.

"No Sir. It is weak, and ignored its instincts." I decided. "It would drag the Pack down."

"Very well." Alpha hesitated for a second, then continued. "If it's of no use to us, kill it." My eyes widened in surprise, but I obeyed. It was not my place to question the Alpha.

I lunged down and sank my fangs into the Pidgey's neck and felt its blood run down my throat. The little bird shrieked, a shrill sound that hurt my sensitive ears. I snarled and bit harder, cutting it off. More blood poured down my throat, warm and rich. I rumbled in pleasure, drinking as much as I could get. Alpha laughed.

"Bloodthirsty little thing aren't you?" When I was done, he came over and picked up the corpse. "There, this'll be dinner for me and that Totodile." He grinned playfully at me. "To bad you can't eat solid food yet. Looks like you're on a solid diet of milk and blood." I groaned.

"But Alpha, that's not fair!"

***

We stopped for the night not far from Cherrygrove. Alpha and I gathered firewood, and I started a fire with Ember. Now I was curled up near Alpha, staring mournfully at the cooking Pidgey. I wanted to eat it so much, but Alpha had said no. I ran my tongue around my mouth, feeling my sharp teeth. I would probably be fine… I shook my head, chasing away the rebellious thought. No, Alpha knew what he was doing. There was probably a good reason for his command, and even if there wasn't, I would obey anyway. That was what a good Pack member did.

"Sir, how long do you think it will be before this Team Rocket recruits us?" I asked, yawning. It had been a long day, and I was tired.

"Not long. They're pretty active nowadays, and are always looking for new recruits." Alpha stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in his dark eyes. "We'll probably be contacted after we earn a few badges." He sighed. "I wish I knew where one of their bases is. Earning badges will be so tedious." I grinned and sat up.

"We'll have to train a lot then Sir." I suggested happily. "We'll be ready for them when they come." Alpha smirked at me.

"Of course we will. Now, what do you think of that Totodile?" I considered the question carefully.

"I don't know much yet, but I think he seemed strong. However, he is… unmotivated, I guess you could say." I snorted. "The silly creature believes life is not worth living."

"Well, let's meet him and show him our true selves." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red and white ball. With one easy flick of his wrist, he sent it into the air, where it opened with a flash of red light. In seconds, the light had formed into the Totodile from before. I wondered how that worked, but decided it didn't really matter to me.

"Beta, you need to translate for Totodile." Alpha ordered. I nodded and turned to face the sad Pokemon. He just stood there, staring at the ground morosely. I shifted nervously, waiting for him to say something. After a few minutes had passed, I spoke.

"Hey, depressed Totodile!" I barked. "Say something." The annoying creature stared at me.

"Why, you wanna be friends or something?" He sighed. "There's no point, life is to short to bother with things like that." My jaw dropped.

"What did he say?" Alpha demanded. One eye twitching, I told him. He blinked, then looked at the Totodile blankly. After a few seconds, his gaze hardened. "Totodile, you may have problems, but I expect you to obey me. Will you?" I tensed, ready to jump up and enforce my Alpha's authority if he gave the wrong answer. The blue Pokemon thought about it.

"I suppose it wouldn't really matter." He decided. I quickly translated Alpha, who grinned.

"Welcome to the Pack. I'm in charge, but Beta is my second-in-command. You obey him as well." I bared my teeth in a vicious grin. My Alpha trusted me enough to give orders! "Here, eat this." Alpha pulled the Pidgey away from the fire and tossed some of it to the Totodile, ignoring how hot it was. Both of them wolfed it down while I watched wistfully. I was concerned when I saw how fast Alpha ate. He was obviously very hungry. I decided I would need to hunt more tomorrow, assuming Alpha allowed me to. I hoped he would.

The Totodile swallowed the last of his meat and spoke again. "Do I get a name?" He asked, sounding bored. I translated yet again, already getting annoyed by it.

"Your name's Mist. It's short for Pessimist." Alpha informed him, an amused glint in his eyes. "Suits you perfectly." I snorted, trying not to laugh out loud. It did suit the depressed Pokemon well. The newly-named Mist actually cracked a smile at his name.

"It works, I suppose. Thanks Alpha." I suppressed the urge to raise my muzzle to the sky and howl my joy. Our pack was truly coming together now, with three members. Alpha, Beta, and Mist. Yes, this was a moment to be remembered.

End Chapter 3

_A.N.- Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. In case anyone's interested, I actually have a sequel planned for this. I can't mention the title though, since it'll give too much away. Also, I have acquired a Beta for this story. She doesn't edit it, but I let her read my notebook that contains this story, and in return she doesn't complain when I text her at random times asking weird questions. :) Just kidding, she's a great help and gives me plenty of ideas, and doesn't laugh to hard at the stupid ones (or at least not within earshot XD). Thank you, _Electrified By Evil! _To everyone else, please review if you've got the time. I reply to all reviews, including those without an account. Those I just answer in here._

**Next Chapter: ****A New Look**


	4. A New Look

_Disclaimer: *sigh* Honestly, is this really necessary? …No, I don't own it. Is a disclaimer actually required by this site? I don't remember seeing it mentioned…_

**Chapter 4:**

**A New Look**

"Hey, this one is even bigger than yesterday's." Alpha praised me. "Great job Beta." I grinned proudly. As soon as we had woken up the morning after Mist's naming, Alpha had sent me off hunting again. This time I had specifically searched for a large Pidgey so Alpha wouldn't be hungry. After quickly gulping down the blood, I brought the corpse back to Alpha.

"Alpha, how long will it be before I can eat solid food?" I asked, watching him place the bird on the hot coals from last night. I looked around, then noticed something was missing. "And where'd Mist go?"

"Solid food in three months." Alpha replied, poking the cooking Pidgey with a stick impatiently. "And I sent Mist to find a stream or something with my water bottle. He should be back soon."

"I'm back now." Mist announced, walking out of the grass. He tossed a water bottle at Alpha, who caught it with ease. The blue Pokemon still looked depressed, not that it was a surprise. It seemed to be the norm with him.

"Thanks Mist." Alpha said, tilting his head back and drinking deeply from the bottle. When e was done, he spoke again. "Just so you know, I'm planning on stopping by the Pokemart for some new clothes. I don't want anything from my former life to remind me of the past." Mist frowned. Well, his ever-present frown deepened.

"You have money?" He questioned. I translated, and Alpha grinned impishly. He reached into his and pulled out a bulging brown wallet. It smelled like the old man.

"Lifted this off the Professor yesterday. He didn't even notice." He opened the wallet and thumbed through it with a raised eyebrow. "Honestly, who the hell carries this much money around?" I snickered.

"His loss is your gain Sir." Alpha smiled and reached out to scratch me behind the ears. I leaned into his hand, crooning softly in pleasure. That felt amazing!

"This should be enough to get a whole new outfit, and maybe even one of those earring translators." Seeing my confused expression, he continued. "It translates all Pokemon for the one wearing it, instead of just one like the collar you have does." I wasn't sure I liked that idea. This collar had been a gift from him, and I didn't really want to lose it…

"I still don't understand why you two bother." Mist sighed. "We're all going to-"

"Shut up about that already!" I snarled irritably. I refused to let this Pokemon drag the Pack down! "Yes, we're all going to die someday, but if we obey Alpha, _everyone_ will remember us! And even if we don't, at least we will know we obeyed our master, as is our duty!" I stopped, growling angrily into a dead silence. Mist stared at me with frightened eyes, and I realized how I must look. Standing with all four paws spread, back slightly arched. I t probably seemed as if I was about to attack. Finally, Alpha broke the silence, an angry look on his face.

"Beta, you need to learn how to control yourself! I don't know what he said to set you off, and I don't care." He said, all traces of his former good mood gone now. "Never let your emotions, good or bad, direct your decisions. Emotions equal weakness, and that's something I will _not_ tolerate in any of my Pokemon. Understand?" I cringed and nodded, not meeting his eyes in shame. I had overreacted, and my Alpha was angry.

"Yes Sir." I whispered. "It will never happen again. I swear it." I made a promise to myself then. I would never show emotion if possible, to anyone, Pokemon or human. I could not weaken my Pack.

"Good. We won't speak of it again."

_I would later wonder how such a life-changing event for me could so easily be dismissed. Even I, at my Alpha's command, did so. I suppose I didn't realize then what things can be seen as an emotion… _

_Some people consider pity and mercy to be emotions…_

"I think I will get one of those translator earrings." Alpha mused out loud, obviously dismissing the earlier conflict as unimportant, his good mood restored. "And maybe a new collar to replace the one you have now Beta."

"What for, Sir?" I asked, eying Mist's food jealously. He ate it without interest, seeming to barely taste it. What a waste…

"To show that you're my second-in-command." Alpha explained, starting to eat his own half of the Pidgey. "They have a wide variety. You can pick if you like." I almost smiled, but remembered my promise. I nodded instead, face blank. For now, hiding my emotions would do. In time, I would try to suppress them entirely. I could not have any weakness, ever.

"Thank you Sir." I said simply.

"Beta?" Mist spoke up hesitantly. I looked at him, trying to hide my lingering annoyance.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for making you angry. I didn't mean to." He paused and looked at the ground. After a few seconds he lifted his head and met my eyes. "I'll serve Alpha and you well. I wish to be remembered." I blinked in surprise. He sounded determined. It seemed I had given him a goal without realizing it.

"Apology accepted." I agreed. "Pack members don't keep grudges." Mist smiled slightly. That was two smiles I had seen from him now. Small, but smiles nonetheless.

"Well, now that that's been settled, are you two ready to go?" Alpha interrupted. We both nodded. "Good. Now remember, I'm not going to show any kindness towards you while we're around other people, and I want you two to do the same."

"Yes Sir!"

"Fine with me." Alpha rolled his eyes.

"Mist, I can't understand you yet." He reminded the Totodile. "And it's not fair to Beta to have to translate everything."

"I don't mind!" I protested, lying through my teeth. I wasn't fooling anyone though, judging by the look Alpha gave me.

"Of course not." He commented dryly. "Let's just go, I don't want to spend a lot of time in Cherrygrove if I can help it." He grabbed his backpack and began walking, Mist and I hurrying to keep up.

We entered Cherrygrove only a few minutes later, since Alpha had chosen to camp so close to the town. I looked around curiously. I hadn't paid much attention when Alpha and I had left, so everything was new. It wasn't very interesting. The town was small, and in my opinion, its only interesting feature was the fact that it was located next to the ocean. I eyed it uneasily, not liking to be so close. Water and fire don't mix well.

There weren't a lot of people around this early which made my lip curl in disgust. Wasting valuable daylight asleep was foolish. But the few people who actually were active were no better in my eyes. They avoided us, in some cases even crossing the street so they would not have to walk by to Alpha, casting him uneasy glances as they did so. They reeked of fear. I wondered why they feared him so. Perhaps, deep in long-buried instinct, they knew he was a threat to them. For, unlike them, Alpha realized that the world wasn't perfect, and had the ambition and strength to take advantage of that. It proved how stupid they were, ignoring their instincts. As stupid as that first Pidgey I had killed.

"Here we are." Alpha announced, stopping outside a large building with the word 'Mart' over the doors. "You two are to stay with me unless I say otherwise." His voice was stern, his face expressionless. I quickly copied him, schooling my canine features. Mist just continued to look depressed.

We followed Alpha into the store. He obviously knew where he was going, since he led us directly to the area that had clothes on display. There he paused, looking slightly confused. Before I could ask him what was wrong, an overly-cheerful teenage girl came bouncing up to us.

"Welcome to the Pokemart! How can I help you?" She chirped. We all stared at her, but she continued smiling. It was kind of creepy.

"No thanks, I'm just getting some new clothes." Alpha replied awkwardly. I felt a chill go down my spine, but wasn't sure why. I glanced at Mist only to find him backing away from the blonde girl with a terrified look on his face. I soon found out why.

"New clothes?" The girl squealed with starry eyes. "Awesome! Oh, I'm gonna make you look so good…" She went running off into the clothes racks, a huge grin on her face. Alpha groaned.

"Great. Just great. Now I'll have to play dress dummy with some psychotic girl with a damn shopping obsession." He scowled at me. "Beta, go find a collar in the Pokemon section. If you see one of those translator earrings, grab a good-looking one. Got it?" I nodded.

"Yes Sir. Good luck with the girl." I turned and left just as said girl came back with a massive armful of clothes. I wasn't sure how she carried it all.

"Here, try these on!" I walked faster, almost running. Something about that girl was just plain scary…

"Wait for me!" Mist yelped. I slowed down and glanced back to see the Totodile racing to catch up with me. "Don't leave me with that monster!" I stopped to wait for him to catch up, then continued.

"What's the matter?" I questioned. "Yeah, she was scary, but you seem terrified." Mist shuddered, hugging himself with his short arms.

"You'll learn. Teenage girls and Pokemon do _not_ mix. They're always trying to cuddle us." I blinked, thought about it, then shivered.

"Good point. I'm lucky I hatched to Alpha." Mist nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we are both lucky to serve under him." He looked around curiously. "Do you have any idea where we're going?" I paused midstep and glanced. At some point we had left the clothes section, and were now surrounded by shelves lined with various bottles. There were no collars or earrings in sight.

"I have no clue." I admitted. "Let's just wander around." As soon as the words were out of my mouth I wished I hadn't said it. That wasn't very commanding. I was the Beta! But I would seem even weaker if I changed my orders…

"Guess that'll work." Mist agreed dully, totally ignorant of my distress. I sighed in relief. Good thing the depressed blue Pokemon was so easygoing.

"We're in the medicine department now, so it can't be to far." I reasoned. It made sense to me. We continued walking, on the lookout for collars or earrings. I wondered how Alpha was handling the crazy teenage girl. I wanted to go help him somehow, but he had ordered me to go find those things…

"Hey! You two aren't supposed to be wandering around in here!" A male voice said from behind us. I froze, then turned around slowly, Mist doing the same, only to see a confused teenager with brown hair. He looked to be about Alpha's age, around sixteen or so.

"We are running an errand for our Trainer." I informed him coldly, being sure to keep my voice emotionless. "It is none of your concern." The human's jaw dropped in astonishment as I turned my back on him and walked away. Mist stayed frozen for a minute, then hurried to follow behind me.

"B-but Pokemon aren't supposed to do their Trainer's _shopping_!" The boy protested. "Pokemon are for battling!" I paused and looked over my shoulder to glare at him.

"I do what my master wishes human." I growled. "You do not have the honor of influencing me, and never will." I said it all in the same emotionless voice as before, adding weight to my harsh words. Inside, I was ecstatic. I was defending my Pack!

I continued walking again, Mist at my heels. This time the brown-haired boy didn't protest. A few minutes later, Mist grabbed my shoulder to get me to stop.

"Look!" He said, pointing up on top of a counter. I glanced up to see a display of earrings. A small sign said: _'Translator Earrings: Understand what your precious Pokemon are saying!' _I almost grinned, but stopped myself just in time.

"Good job Mist." I praised, getting ready to jump up on the counter. I tensed, then leapt. I almost didn't make it. Much to my annoyance, I had to scramble for a grip when I ended up hanging by my front paws. I glared down at Mist when I was safely on the counter to see if he was smiling at my clumsiness. But his face was as gloomy as ever.

"You okay?" He asked me. I snarled, trying to hide my embarrassment.

"Of course I am." I sneered, turning to the display. There were so many, I didn't know which to choose. I remembered seeing the red stud Alpha already had in his ear, and looked for one like it. My eyes brightened when I saw one. It was a bit bigger than his current one, but it was the same blood-red color. I carefully picked it up in my teeth and jumped down off the counter.

"Want me to take it?" Mist offered, holding out one hand. "I have fingers, so I can hold it better." I nodded and dropped it into his palm.

"Don't lose it." I warned. "I don't feel like trying to find another like it." Mist nodded.

"I'll be careful." He promised. "I want Alpha to be able to understand me."

"Good." I replied gruffly. "Now let's find collars." And off we went again. We wandered around for awhile, ignoring the strange looks we got from the few shopping humans. Eventually we found a display of collars. I poked through the pile without much interest, until my nose hit something hard. I felt my inner flame flare briefly in response, and I froze for a moment. It is a very distinct feeling, having your inner flame flare. Heat flashes through your body, an amazing sensation. It fills you with strength, and a certainty of success at whatever you wish to do. However, flaring of your inner flame usually takes conscious effort. It doesn't just _happen_. So what had my flame react like that?

I carefully pushed collars out of the way to reveal what I had hit. It was a bronze collar made of suns. The collar was made up of polished bronze discs with pieces shaped like the sun's rays. At what was probably the front was a larger sun with a hard black stone embedded in it. That was what my nose had hit. I leaned in closer and noticed a small shard of clear crystal that looked like it had flames flickering outside of it. Even more interested, I pulled the sun collar out of the pile and carried it over to Mist. I read the tag aloud.

"Bronze sun collar. Fossilized charcoal with a Firestone embedded into pendant. Said to raise a Fire Pokemon's power in times of great need." My eyes widened in surprise. Firestone and fossilized Charcoal… That was a powerful mix. No wonder my flame had flared.

"Sounds interesting." Mist commented. "You going to get it?" I stared at him, semi-disgusted.

"Of course I'm going to get it, as long as Alpha agrees." I answered scornfully. He just looked at me blankly, not replying. I sighed. "Let's just go find Alpha. He should have new clothes by now."

"How are we going to find him?" Mist questioned. I snorted in amusement.

"I'm a _dog_, remember?" I can track our scents back to the clothes section." Mist blushed slightly.

"Oh. Guess I should have known that." I didn't even bother replying to that. I just picked up my new collar in my mouth and set off. Following our scents back was easy, and much faster than the original journey. Alpha was waiting for us with his new clothes. The girl had disappeared. Alpha had probably scared her off.

"How do I look?" Alpha asked, spreading his arms. I looked at his new clothes admiringly. His pants had more pockets, and were looser, but were still black. He had gotten a black jacket that reached his knees at the back, but only his waist at the back. Flames lined the bottom all around. The jacket was open, revealing a simple white t-shirt. Black fingerless gloves were on his hands. His silver flame necklace was still around his neck, resting against his chest. With his spiky black hair and pale skin, he cut an intimidating figure.

"Very good Sir." I complimented. "We found the translator earring and collar." I pushed the collar toward him with one black paw. He knelt and picked it up, his mouth moving as he silently read the label. His eyebrows rose, but he quickly wiped the surprise from his face.

"This should be useful. Good find." I nodded in acknowledgement of the compliment. "Where's the earring?" Mist stepped forward and held out one hand. Alpha took the earring and stood up. "Thanks. Now let's go pay for this stuff."

End Chapter 4

_A.N.- Very sorry for the long wait. I don't even have the excuse of saying I was having a hard time writing it. I was just too lazy to type it. '_'; Again, sorry. Thanks to _Electrified By Evil_ for Alpha's new clothes! Aren't they great? :D Yes, of course they are! *laughs* Read and review please! They make me happy._

**Next Chapter: ****Arson**


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